Colton Sceviour believes the Florida Panthers are building something special.
Sceviour, who was slated to be an unrestricted free agent in the summer, signed a three-year contract extension with the Panthers on Monday morning, ensuring that he'd remain a part of the team's core through the 2020-21 season.
Sceviour Excited to Be Part of Panthers Bright Future
"I've enjoyed my time here," Sceviour told FloridaPanthers.com. "There's also definitely some comfort. I saw what this team is capable of and the direction that we're heading. Looking into the future over the next three years, I was really excited to have the opportunity to be a part of that. It was a big selling point for me."
Sceviour, 28, is now one of 10 players committed to the Panthers for at least the next three seasons, joining the likes of defensemen Aaron Ekblad, Keith Yandle and Mike Matheson, and forwards Vincent Trocheck, Aleksander Barkov, Jonathan Huberdeau and Nick Bjugstad.
"As a group, we want as many guys in this locker room to be in this locker room as long as possible," Sceviour said.
An impending free agent, Sceviour was delighted to get the deal done before the offseason.
"I'd like to say I'd blocked it out, but I'm one of those guys that thinks about things," Sceviour said. "There were times when I would kind of wonder what's going to happen and what's going on. It's more of a curiosity thing because you aren't sure. To get that this deal done before it got to that point is awesome."
A key contributor on the penalty kill, Sceviour averages 2:22 per game shorthanded. Of his 14 points (7-7-14), three have come on the penalty kill, including one goal. He also ranks second among Florida's forwards in blocked shots (45), with a team-leading 18 of them coming while shorthanded.
"I think everyone comes into the league and wants to score 30 or 40 goals a year and be that guy, but it's tough to be that guy, so you've got to find a role or niche in the league or on your team," said Sceviour. "I found that opportunity playing on the penalty kill last season."
"We had some success and I developed some chemistry with Derek [MacKenzie]. It's nice when you take pride in shutting down the other team's power play. It's the best players and an opportunity where they're supposed to score, so when you can shut them down in certain moments it feels good."
Sceviour came to Florida in the summer of 2016, signing a two-year, $1.9-million deal after spending parts of parts of five seasons in Dallas. As a bottom-six player, Sceviour said he's happy to have found some stability since "there's a lot of guys that are here for one year and then somewhere else for one year, and that's tough."
Since Sceviour's first season with the Panthers in 2016-17, the team owns the fifth-best penalty killing success rate in the NHL, stifling 83.1 percent of their opponent's chances. A reliable, hard-working veteran, he has suited up in 126 games with Florida, posting 38 points (16-22-38).
"Colton is a hard-working, versatile player who has become a key part of our success on the penalty kill," Panthers General Manager Dale Tallon said in a statement. "He has earned this contract extension through his dedicated work ethic, compete level and character. A reliable two-way player, Colton is an important part of our team both on the ice and in our locker room, for now and for the future."
If you ask Sceviour, he'll tell you that future is brighter than ever.
"I think you're starting to see how successful we can be," Sceviour said. "We can beat any team on any given night. That's something we need to do every night and find a way to be consistent that way."
